Using Germany and the US as exemplars, this program will introduce students to the causes and consequences of the resurgence of reactionary movements in Europe and the US. Along the way, students will learn the differences between populism, facism, etc.

Visas

This country is part of the Schengen area. Note that there are strict rules and restrictions for foreign visitors to this area that may impact a student’s ability to travel within the region before or after their program, or to attend two subsequent programs in this area. It is critical that the student reviews the information and scenarios here to learn more about Schengen area visa requirements.

Program Description

Has Trump gone global? In a word: yes. America isn't the only country in the West experiencing political upheaval. Recent events suggests something amiss in the West. With the election of Donald Trump in the US, and Brexit in Great Britain, politics in the West has taken on a reactionary mood, and these are only the places in which it's achieved a measure of success. Reactionary politics, a style of politics in which the historically dominant cultural group seeks a return to its past glory, seems to have also taken root in Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, to name but a few other locales in which it's taken root. This seminar will examine why such politics are sweeping the West, but not before we learn about the history of such movements in the US and Europe. We then discuss competing theoretical explanations for these kinds of movements: populism, nationalism, facism, reactionary conservatism. What, in other words, explains the rise of Trump, as well as competitive right-wing movements in Europe?

The course takes place in Berlin, the capitol of Germany. Not only is Berlin the social and political Capitol of Germany, it also served as the heart of the Third Reich, perhaps the most well-known right-wing movement in the past century. At present, the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) is the chief political threat on the German right.

Humboldt University, in Berlin, will serve as home base. UW has a long-standing arrangement with Humboldt. This program will plug into the American Studies program (at Humboldt), and will be furnished with classroom space, and access to the internet.

LOCATION

Berlin, Germany

Sites

Housing

Die Fabrik hostel has been a reliable location for programs of Honors and CHID in the past few years. The location is in a diverse neighbor in the district of Kreuzberg. Students take public transportation to Humboldt, which has worked out well in the past. Payments can be done by credit card and wire tranfer. Die Fabrik can be paid in advance.

ACADEMICS

Prerequisites and Language Requirements

None

Credits

10 UW Credits

Courses

Political Science 405: Seminar on Reactionary Movements (5 Credits)

In this course, we examine factors that resulted in Trump's surprising victory. Using the United States as an example, we go back in history to examine reactionary movements in historical context. We'll see what the Know-Nothing Party of the 1850s, the Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s, the John Birch Society of the 1960s, the Tea Party Movement, and Trump supporters all have in common. We will also explore why they share commonality. We shall read works that shed light on these things, and review evidence that authors use to support their clams.

Learning goals include:
Substantively, at the end of this course, students will better understand how someone like Trump can win the presidency. Students will also understand the forces that brought him to power aren't new; they've been around for a long time. From a more pedagogical perspective, students will have a firm grasp on how work in political science can be interdisciplinary.

Political Science 447: Reactionary Politics in the European Context (5 Credits)

Brexit, and the influence of reactionary parties who favor the cultural majority, like Front National (France), Alternative for Deutschland (Germany), the Freedom Party (the Netherlands), and the Progress Party (Austria and Norway), make clear that the right wing is alive and well in Europe. In this course, students will investigate the long-running roots of these parties in Europe, and how the politics of these parties may vary according to the nation in which they inhabit.

Learning goals include:
Substantively, at the end of this course, students will better understand the circumstances under which these parties have gained traction in recent years. Students will also understand the forces that brought them to power aren't new; they've been around for a long time. From a more pedagogical perspective, students will have a firm grasp on the political similarities and differences between the US and Europe.

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

Christopher Sebastian Parker, Political Science, Program Director

Christopher Sebastian Parker is a professor in the department of political science at the University of Washington. A graduate of UCLA and the University of Chicago, Parker also served in the United States Navy. He is the author of Change They Can’t Believe In: The Tea Party and Reactionary Politics in America (Princeton University Press, 2013), and Fighting for Democracy: Black Veterans and the Struggle Against White Supremacy in the Postwar South (Princeton University Press, 2009). He resides in Seattle.
csparker@uw.edu

Sebastian Mayer, Political Science, Co-Director

Sebastian Mayer is a PhD student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington in Seattle. He received his B.A. in American Studies from Heidelberg University, Germany. His research interests include American Politics and Comparative Politics, especially the topics of political polarization, political impact of social movements, and minority politics.
sebmayer@uw.edu

Manuela Mangold, Political Science, On-site Coordinator

Manuela holds a diploma in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden and a bachelor’s degree in American Studies and History from the Humboldt University of Berlin. Starting in 2008, she began working at CSSP – Berlin Center for Integrative Mediation as an advisor to the Honorary President and former Minister for Post and Telecommunications, Prof. Dr. Schwarz-Schilling. In December 2011, she joined the board of directors at CSSP in Berlin. She was a coordinator for the “German–Israeli Young Researchers’ Exchange on Diversity” program, June 2013- July 2015. In Dec. 2015, she finished a one-year training program as a mediator. Manuela has worked as a program organizer, consultant, and instructor for the University of Washington in the Honors Program and CHID International for the past 9 years.
mangoldm@uw.edu

Payment Due Date: July 6, 2018

Program fees will be posted to your MyUW student account and can be paid the same way that you pay tuition and other fees. Check your MyUW Account periodically for due dates.

Financial Aid

A large percentage of UW students utilize financial aid to study abroad. Most types of financial aid can be applied to study abroad fees.

You can submit a revision request to increase the amount of aid for the quarter you are studying abroad. These additional funds are usually awarded in the form of loans. To apply, fill out a revision request form, attach the budget sheet (available via the link at the top of this brochure) and submit these documents to the Office of Student Financial Aid. For more information about this process, consult the Financial Aid section of our website.

Consult the Financial Aid section of our website for more information on applying for financial aid, special considerations for summer and early fall programs, and budgeting and fundraising tips.

Scholarships

There are many scholarships designed to fund students studying abroad. The UW administers a study abroad scholarship program and there are national awards available as well.

Scholarships vary widely in their parameters. Some are need-based, some are location-based, and some are merit-based.

For UW Study Abroad Scholarships fill out a short questionnaire on your UW Study Abroad program application to be considered. You must apply by the priority application deadline for the program in order to be considered for a scholarship. Click the Overview tab to view application deadlines.

APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS

Application Process

The study abroad application includes a personal statement, three short answer questions, one recommendation from a professor or TA, and electronic signature documents related to UW policies and expectations for study abroad. Following the online application process, you may be contacted by the program director for an in-person interview. Once an admission decision has been made regarding your application, you will be notified by the study abroad system via email.

Orientation

To be eligible to study abroad, you must complete the mandatory pre-departure orientation facilitated by UW Study Abroad. You must also attend program-specific orientations offered by the program director.

You must register for the UW Study Abroad orientation. You can visit the Orientation section of our website to view the current schedule and to register for an orientation session.

Orientation must be completed prior to the enrollment deadline for the quarter that you are studying abroad.

Visas

UW Study Abroad is not responsible for obtaining visas for study abroad program participants. The cost and requirements for obtaining visas vary. It is your responsibility to determine visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad including countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program. This is an especially important consideration if you are planning to do more than one study abroad program. You can research visa requirements by calling the consular offices of those countries or checking the following website: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html.

Note: If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements. You can check the following website to find contact information for the consulate of the country you will be visiting: https://www.state.gov/s/cpr/32122.htm.

For non-U.S. citizens, the procedures that you will need to follow may be different than those for U.S. citizens. It is important to initiate this process as soon as possible in order to assemble documents and allow time for lengthy procedures.

Disability Accommodations

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, and education for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation for this program, contact Disability Resources for Students at least 8 weeks in advance of your departure date. Contact info at disability.uw.edu.

Withdrawals

$350 of the total program fee and the $450 UW Study Abroad Fee are non-refundable once a contract has been submitted. Students withdrawing from a program are responsible for paying a percentage of the program fee depending on the date of withdrawal. More details about the withdrawal policy are included in your payment contract. No part of the program fee is refundable once the program has begun. The date of withdrawal is considered the business day a withdrawal form is received by UW Study Abroad. Notice of withdrawal from the program must be made in writing by completing the following steps:

Provide notice in writing to the program director that you will no longer be participating in the program.